


Worth

by FawkesFire13



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:13:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26651980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawkesFire13/pseuds/FawkesFire13
Summary: Poppy has taken on a lot of extra work. Tora is trying to remind her to know when it’s time to take a break.
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 32
Kudos: 151





	Worth

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fluffy fic for the MPL fandom for this week because we don’t have a new episode coming tonight. I got the idea based off of what Lilydusk told us a few days ago....she injured her arm and needs to rest a bit. 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys this one. 
> 
> A huge shout out to the ladies of the MPL Ramblings chat and all my Seedlings! You ladies give me life!
> 
> As always, all characters belong to Lilydusk!

Tora stared at Poppy and ran his hand through his hair. She looked at him with wide, pleading eyes and he frowned.

Her wrist was in a brace and she had just gotten back from a doctor’s office. Erdene had taken her from Giant Goldfish publishing about 3 hours ago, and she had been dropped off again. Gyu had called him frantically about five minutes ago.

“She’s got a wrist brace on!” His friend had spluttered into the phone from the guard station. Tora had almost kicked open the door, enraged that she had been injured and not been told any sooner. But Poppy had walked into the apartment looking contrite and more than a little frustrated.

“It’s my own fault.” She had muttered sadly, as Tora had taken her work bag from her, as well as her coat and made her sit down. “If I hadn’t taken on that extra work load, I wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Tora cocked a eyebrow up. Three weeks ago Quincey had mentioned something about not being happy with the artwork for the cover of his new novel. Tora had seen the sample art. It looked....

It was awful.

Even by cheesy romance novel standards it was horrifically bad. Quincey had come back and shown him, looking disgusted. 

“I’ll be a laughing stock if we use this!” His friend had moaned. Tora had privately agreed. He wouldn’t stop making of fun of Quincey if one of his books went to print with this. He had told him as much.

“Yeah, Quince, if you let that get printed with ya book I promise I’ll show it at every business meeting ya got. Let them know what sort of writer they’re working with.”

Quincey had shot him a absolutely poisonous glare. 

The pirate novel was going to be a huge hit, by all accounts, and the team at Giant Goldfish were pulling out all the stops to help Quincey. There was a party planned at some fancy restaurant in Narin, and some bookstores were trying to convince the elusive author to come sign his books. The blonde had been very excited to work with such a supportive team and had been bragging about it to Tora off and on all week.

But as Tora knew all too well, books were often judged by their covers, and in the case of this novel, that might be the problem. A very serious problem.

Well, Quincey had spotted Poppy sketching at her desk one day and had asked her if she did anything professional. Poppy had shown Quincey some of her work and of course he had asked her to create the cover work. Poppy had agreed, wanting the extra money that would come with it, but also was now working two jobs and putting a lot of added pressure onto herself. 

Quincey hadn’t mentioned it to him. He had found out when Poppy was waiting for him to come back to the apartment, sketchbook in hand and pencil waiting. 

“Tora. I need you to hold still for me, and can you rest your hand on your hip? And tilt your head a little downward?” She had blurted as he closed the door behind him. Tora smirked, recalling that Poppy had spluttered and finally explained that the “pirate” Quincey described was basically Tora and she wanted to use him as a reference.

That had been a interesting night. Tora had teased her for about 10 minutes, dropping a healthy dose of perverted jokes about his “mast” and got her face to turn a bright cherry red before he took pity on her and agreed to pose long enough for her to get a few decent sketch drawings of him to work from. Tora understood her motive, it would give her a lot more financial freedom, as the artwork would generate continuous revenue as long as the book was being printed. She had explained it to him over dinner that night, and he couldn’t exactly argue with her. 

But as he watched her work excitedly on her first sketches that night, he did some mental calculations. With her normal work load, plus this she would barely have time to sleep. Tora had waited for her to leave her drawings on the desk and crawl into bed that night, and frowned in the darkness as he kissed her forehead. It was only for a short while it would be like this, he told himself. And Bobby was a sharp lady, she would be alright.

Over the next week Poppy was juggling editing with Quincey and drawing up a few new cover art pieces. Then Erdene had gifted Poppy some sort of tablet that artists used to draw. Tora didn’t get it, but Gyu had gushed over it and helped Poppy set it up. Then Poppy spent hours on that tablet drawing, often times asking Tora to hold still for 30 minute increments. He had been happy to help her, but about a week into it, she had finally confessed to Erdene that the tablet wasn’t something she felt comfortable on just yet.

She had gone back to hand drawing, and as a result had pushed herself to come up with something spectacular.

Tora had become far more concerned in the second week when Poppy had come home and looked a little red eyed, like she had been crying a few hours prior. She hadn’t wanted to talk about it with him, just giving him a vague “I’m just tired.” Tora hadn’t bought that excuse for even a second, but she had given him a pleading look and he had simply bundled her up next to him in bed and let her sleep.

This week Erdene had been enlisted to help with her editing work, but Poppy had thrown herself fully into creating a piece of cover art fit for a novel that was on track to break sales records. The pressure was mounting and while everyone was supportive, Tora was beginning to see Poppy break down. He watched a sketch with his face become more and more detailed, it was almost like looking in a mirror. The “pirate” had green eyes however, and a thin scar across his cheek. 

While Quincey himself wasn’t demanding and more than happy to be patient and wait, Poppy wasn’t. Tora had been very gently scolding her, asking her to slow down. His feisty little hamster had insisted she was fine, but Tora caught her making a pained face one night, wincing and rubbing her wrist. That was three night ago.....

Now here she was, in a brace and looking like she was mentally kicking herself.

“Sweetheart, I’m not going to tell you how to do ya job, but I don’t think working with books is supposed to result in visits to a doctor. That’s my line of work.” Tora said, gently kissing her cheek as she sighed.

Poppy had frowned, looking defeated. 

“I know, Tora. But....” she paused, gathering her words together carefully. “Everyone is counting on me to finish this...”

Tora nodded, wrapping his arm over her shoulders as she leaned into him. 

“Bobby, you’ve put a lot of work in for weeks. Ya aren’t doing much more than working and sleeping.” Poppy opened her mouth to protest and he held up a hand. “Let me finish, sweetheart.” He said carefully. “I know you've been busy because I bought ya a chocolate chip muffin and left it on the counter a week ago. It’s still there.”

Poppy’s eyes slid to the counter, the muffin sitting sadly on a plate. He had covered it with plastic wrap a few days ago. Tora looked at her meaningfully. Finally her shoulders slumped a bit.

“I’m not scolding you, Bobby. I just don’t think it’s normal for you to miss something like that.” Tora said softly. “I’m not sayin’ I’m a perfect example of stability or anything....but ya been....” he stopped, unsure how to say what he wanted without upsetting her. She already looked like she wanted to cry. 

She had warned him a long time ago that she cried easily, and he knew she was a person who also cried when she got angry.

“It’s so unfair.” Poppy had snapped, tears in her eyes after a frustrating day at work. He recalled the moment with a small smile. “I’m not sad, I’m just trying really hard not to punch someone!” Tora loved his feisty hamster. 

But this wasn’t one of those times. Right now she looked genuinely upset, and exhausted. He nervously pushed his hair back. 

“I just....I think ya burning your candle at both ends.” He finally said, remembering a old saying Alice had used around him. It seemed accurate for this moment. “And I just want ya to be....healthy.”

Poppy looked up at him, and nodded sadly. 

“I know, Tora. I just....feel like I’ve got a lot to prove right now. I’m the youngest person working at Giant Goldfish. I really shouldn’t even have this position right now. It’s not like I have a lot of experience in my field. And if I can pull off this cover art....well, that another source of income that I could possibly have and my life would be so much more secure.” Poppy said in a rush, her voice pitched just a little higher than normal.

Tora frowned, concerned now. 

“Bobby...you’re good at your job. Everyone says so. Well....Quincey tells me all the time he loves working with you, and the whole team. But he’s been impressed with you since Gudrun’s. Never has had any doubts and he’s worked with a lot of companies.” Tora offered, looking into her face.

He was rewarded with a small smile.

“Really?” Poppy asked. Tora sighed mentally. He sometimes forgot just how little faith Poppy has in herself at times. If he ever found that snot rag, Julri.....

“Yeah. Quincey loves what ya do when you edit his stuff. Says you’re good with details.” Tora grinned. “I could have told him that. Ya too damn sharp sometimes for your own good.” 

Tora reached out and took her good hand in his. “And even if you are the youngest, what does that matter? You’re able to do your job and keep up on things. I’ve never heard anyone complain about your work.....and believe me, I’d hear.” He added darkly. Poppy sighed and let her body relax into his angles and looked up at him. 

“I hear what you’re saying, Tora.” She said quietly. “But it still feels like these are all things I need to do.”

“Even if it’s giving you injuries?” Tora asked, letting just a bit of seriousness enter his tone. Poppy bit her lip.

“I mean, it’s just a sprained wrist....”

“Stop.” Tora interrupted. “I work out enough to know what a stress injury is like, and you’re going to try and push through it and make it worse.” He added quickly. “Bobby, I love your stubbornness and how determined you can be when you want something....but if you let yourself get hurt and you don’t let that injury heal, it’s going to just keep hurting.”

Poppy glared at him, and he could see the gears in her head turning trying to come up with a argument. He loved this about her. She never gave up. Poppy was one of the most headstrong people he knew, and watching her right now was like watching a storm cloud getting ready to toss down a lighting bolt.

“We have deadlines to meet, Tora! And I’m the only one working on this cover art...”

“So ask for a extension. What are they going to do? You’re the one Quincey wants, his royal majesty, Quincess will have to be patient.”

“But...”

“What? You’re giving them quality work. It’s worth waiting for. If ya want me to, I’ll go to his penthouse and knock some sense into him.” Tora offered. “S’been a while since he’s earned a lump to the skull.....”

“TORA!”

“What? S’true.”

“Be nice to my client, please.”

“Your client was a little tagalong pain in my ass.....nothing’s changed.” He smirked. 

“Even if he was a thuglet...”

“Thuglet?” Tora laughed, and Poppy snorted out a laugh. “Ah shit, I’m using that one. Quincess Thuglet....”

Tora and Poppy laughed softly, finding a easy peace in each other’s company. Finally Tora wrapped his arm more securely around Poppy and drew her a little closer. 

“Listen, Bobby. Ya need to remember ya worth. What you’re doing is a job that other people could do, but you’re better at it because when you work you throw your whole heart into it like it means something to ya.” Tora spoke softly. “I’ve been to all those big companies with Quincey, keepin’ him safe and listening to all those stiff business types feed him a load of shit so they could squeeze more work from him. Quincey would do it because early on, he didn’t have any faith in his work. People tended to step on him.”

Poppy glanced up into Tora’s face. His eyes seemed far away as he thought about his friend.

“Really? They took advantage of him?”

“Yeah. Quincey was always so....desperate to prove himself he forgot he was worth more than they were giving him. I think it’s why he’s so happy with your company. You and your co workers seem nice, like you really care about him.”

“He’s a great client.”

“Yeah, but it’s more than that. You make him feel appreciated.” Tora explained smiling slightly. “It’s been a while since he’s felt that.”

For a while there was just silence. Poppy yawned a bit, and Tora leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

“I don’t want ya putting so much of yourself into something that you forget your worth.” Tora said gently. “You’re a special person, Bobby. Your company is lucky to have someone like you. I know you’ve got a lot you want to prove, but you won’t be able to do any of that if you keep hurting yourself.”

Poppy was silent and Tora let her sit there quietly, thinking things over. He wasn’t always the best with words, he knew that. Poppy always had a way of knowing just what to say to make him feel better. He hoped he was doing the same for her. Their relationship was solid, as far as he was concerned, but he was still working on really opening up, and Poppy....while she normally said exactly what was on her mind, sometimes it seemed to him she let herself be put down too easily.

She was so....

Everything he was not. Optimistic and open. She practically radiated kindness. He never got tired of trying to see the world through her eyes. Feisty and bold as she was, she still seemed to find joy in the smallest of things. Like when one of her plants that had been struggling to grow finally produced a single bloom recently, she had woken him up early in the morning to point out the yellow blossom, a huge smile on her face.

He didn’t want her to loose that to a job.

“Okay.” She finally said, squeezing his hand slightly. “Tomorrow I’ll go in and tell everyone I need to slow down for a while so I don’t make things worse. I want to keep editing and I can do that without messing up my wrist any more. But I’ll lay off the cover art for a while. Does that seem like a fair compromise?”

“It sounds a lot better than what you’ve been doing. And you need to have time to eat and sleep too. Not spend every waking moment with that red pen marking up everything. Leave some of your work at your office.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good.” Tora closed his eyes as Poppy used her good hand to softly trace the path of his koi fish up his arm. He never grew tired of her touch. It was always so unhurried and curious. He smiled just a bit. He felt her shift next to him.

“Tora?”

“Hmm?”

“You think that muffin is still good?” Poppy asked hopefully. “I could use the chocolate.”

Tora smirked, happy to have his hamster sounding more like herself.

“Probably not. But I got ya a pint of fudge brownie ice cream. Figured that would keep longer.”

Poppy gave a delighted laugh, got up and hurried over to the fridge and Tora grinned as she found the ice cream and dug around in the kitchen drawers for a spoon.

“Thank you, Tora! You’re a life saver.”

He blinked slowly, amused. That’s something he’d never heard himself called. But if that’s what he was for this little woman, he would happily leave all his other names behind.

“Anything for you, Bobby. Anything at all.”


End file.
